Nier Automata Creator shares that fake autographs are being sold in his name

In the world of collectibles, few things are as valuable as an autograph. If you need proof, ask baseball fans how much a 1/1 Paul Skenes autograph is and they'll tell you. With that in mind, it's no wonder why video game fans have turned to signed versions of artwork, physical games, and just about anything under the sun from some of their favorite creators, voice actors, and artists.

One of those creators is Yoko Taro, the mastermind behind movies like Nier: Automata and Drakengard, and his very distinctive autograph with his logo and name “YOKO TARO” emblazoned on the front.

There's just one problem with this – apparently more than half of the Yoko Taro autographs available in the wild are actually fakes.

Yoko Taro, The Genius He Is, stays one step ahead of retailers

In response to someone sharing his autograph for sale on a collectibles website, Taro revealed on Twitter that not only was this particular autographed item a fake, but so were many other items in the wild bearing his signature.

As it turns out, Taro was well aware that sellers would try to cash in on his signature, so he signs his items with small details that would seemingly escape the naked eye so he could spot a fake from miles away.

“I have confirmed that nearly half of the autographs being resold are in fact fake, so please do not buy them,” Taro wrote, although it is unclear where exactly most of these fakes are being sold.

Similarly, Taro has not explained how his fans can tell the real from the fake. Obviously, releasing this information would only put the seller back in the driver's seat as they create even more sophisticated examples.

The final result, much like Yoko Taro herself, is a mystery. That said, if you happen to have a “YOKO TARO” autograph as part of your collectibles, you should probably go get it checked because there's a good chance it's a fake. phew..